FROLITICKS

Satirical commentary on Canadian and American current political issues

May 9

Ontario’s Conservative Government is Hurting a Public Education System Already Under Stress

by bcurry

The Ontario government under Premier Ford recently announced budgetary cut-backs to the province’s primary and secondary public schools, including an increase in class sizes over the next four years. There will be fewer teachers for students and the continuation of some specialized classes and after-school programs will be jeopardized.  The cut-backs will particularly affect inner-city kids who have a need for special programs such as English-as-a-second language for immigrant children and additional assistance for disadvantaged and lower income families.

I came up through the Ontario education system which once prided itself on being one of the best in Canada and among industrialized countries, readily available and accessible to kids in both urban and rural settings. Provincial oversight and funding of education ensured that children would have equal access to quality public education wherever they lived.  Teachers became well trained, paid and respected under the system, and rightly so.  After all, the ultimate result was a highly trained and educated labour force which served as a major attraction for national and foreign investment in the province, resulting in a higher standard of living for all.

However, over the years there has been some valid criticism of the product flowing out of primary and secondary schools. Post-secondary institutions are complaining of receiving high school students who are not well prepared for university or college, often lacking the critical thinking and communication capabilities normally required at the post-secondary level.  Unfortunately, what they see is an assembly-line approach to education, based too often solely on the use of testing to measure outcomes.  These higher institutions are frequently required to introduce remedial programs to improve writing and analytic skills of new entrants.

Instead of instilling young people with attributes related to imagination, creativity, comprehension and discovery, schools appear to be more interested in meeting provincial testing standards in order to ensure their future funding. Often such performance standards are based on the percentage of kids graduating with a high school diploma, whether or not this piece of paper is a true testament to their actual capabilities.  Of course, this issue is one which exists elsewhere in Canada and in the U.S.  Instead of undermining the public education system because of short-term budgetary considerations, maybe it’s time to step back and examine just what values and qualities will help our children to live full, successful and meaningful lives in the long-term.

Canada Education Uncategorized

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Dec 2

#HimToo versus #MeToo in a Battle of the Sexes

by bcurry

#HimToo is a hashtag started as a reaction to #MeToo, put forth by those who believe that false accusations of rape and sexual assault against men are common and happen way too often. Hopefully, we’re all familiar with the #MeToo movement which sprang up in the wake of allegations by women of sexual harassment and sexual assault by some very prominent men, especially in the film and music industries.

According to a recent study by Statistics Canada, following the widespread #MeToo social media movement in October 2017, police-reported sexual assaults in Canada increased sharply. There were 25% more victims of police-reported sexual assault in the three months after #MeToo first went viral (October to December 2017) compared with an average three-month period leading up to #MeToo (January 2016 to September 2017).  The findings also found that four in five (80%) victims of police-reported sexual assaults in 2016 and 2017 knew the person accused of victimizing them.  As has been the case historically, about 9 in 10 victims of police-reported sexual assaults were female, both pre- and post-#MeToo.

The statistics appear to confirm that #MeToo has had a positive impact in encouraging women to come forward with cases of sexual assault and harassment. Like any other social movement, there are always those that will argue that the movement has gone too far.  However, I would argue that the impact of #MeToo needs to go as far as needed.  Until we start witnessing a major reduction in these statistics, more needs to be done.  We have in place policies and processes that provide fair and impartial treatment of the accused, hopefully avoiding any potential for malicious intent on the part of accusers.  One can only hope that #HimToo and other regressive movements don’t undercut the positive accomplishments of “#MeToo.

As Jon Hyman noted in Workforce Management (October 10, 2018): “#MeToo has done an amazing job of creating an atmosphere of understanding for complaints of harassment and other sexual misconduct. Let’s not undermine all the good it has done with knee-jerk reactions in the other direction.” Instead, it’s time for men to increase support for their spouses, sisters, daughters and mothers in their struggle against harassment of any kind, no matter where it takes place.

Uncategorized

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Nov 12

Employers Are Using Technology To Spy On Employees In The Name of Security

by bcurry

Back in 2016, there was an interesting article about American companies using new spy-ware on their employees in the form of special badges that hang around one’s neck on a lanyard. These small gadgets have two microphones doing real-time voice analysis, and each comes with sensors that follow where the employees are in the office and motion detectors to record how much they move.  More recently, Biohax, a Swedish tech firm, disclosed that it is in talks with a number of UK legal and financial services firms to implant workers with human chip devices. Apparently in Sweden, there are already some 4,000 individuals who are chipped, including 85 of the 500 employees at travel operator Tui. As well as restricting access to controlled areas, these microchips could be used to buy food from the canteen, enter the building, and access files or printers.  Needless-to-say, such security-oriented devices have raised major privacy concerns for employees in establishments where they are being introduced.

Employers already have vast quantities of data about their workers. Thanks to the internet, smart IDs, smartphones and the cloud, employers can already check who is looking at a document, when employees are working and whether they might be stealing company files and contacts. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will go even further, raising concerns about Orwellian snooping by employers on their workers. Microsoft, the software giant, already offers a programme called MyAnalytics which pulls together data from e-mails, calendars and so on to show employees how they spend their time, how often they are in touch with key contacts and whether they multitask too much.

Most employment contracts in America give employers blanket rights to monitor employees and collect data about them, but few workers are aware of such provisions. Now, some employers are going further, arguing for the need to track every move by employees all in the name of security.  The important question becomes what else they are tracking, including personal information related to mental and physical health issues, family matters and the state of one’s emotions on a particular day.  Some software can even tell whether one is looking for another job.

An additional concern is that there are more companies which now rely on outside firms to collect and crunch employee information. Privacy concerns will increase and employees may feel violated if they do not think they have given their prior consent to sharing their personal data.  It’s one thing to microchip my pet with a locator chip, it’s a completely other issue when an employer does the same for a person.  What does this mean for privacy in the workplace of the future?  Monitoring employees for performance is one thing, but invading their privacy is a totally different matter.  The introduction of such technologies into our personal and work lives is a growing concern.  Begging one to ask whether Big Brother is watching our every move and our state of mind?

Canada Privacy Concerns Uncategorized

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Aug 17

Mid Summer Madness of the Trump Regime – Summer of 2018

by bcurry

In recent months, actions and tweets by President Trump have become even more erratic and unpredictable than usual. His bizarre behaviour may lead some people to believe that he is suffering from heat stroke.  Let’s review what he’s been up to this past summer:

  • As a reprisal against Turkey for jailing one lone American citizen, the S. levied harsh sanctions against this NATO ally which threaten the derail that country’s economy or drive Turkey into Vladimir Putin’s circle of influence.
  • The President said local politicians “wanted a number so ridiculously high”, around $92 Million, that he canceled a planned military parade that the Pentagon had already postponed until next year. He blamed Washington officials for inflating expected costs for an unwanted parade.
  • Trump revoked former national security advisor John Brennan’s security clearance, which may be the latest sign that the president is determined to punish anyone connected to the Russia investigation. Kind of reminds one of the Richard Nixon days and the political “revenge” factor.
  • The President referred to one of his former White House staff, Amarosa Manigault Newman, as being a “dog”, in anticipation of her soon to be released book, “Unhinged”. His office also denied unconvincingly that he had never used the “N” word, a charge made by Ms. Manigault Newman.
  • He has threatened to impose tariffs on automobiles assembled abroad and on automotive parts, something that the auto industry has warned would cause all kinds of havoc and productivity losses.
  • His administration has threatened more tariffs on Chinese goods, causing major problems for U.S. supply retail and manufacturing chains.
  • Over 300 news media have issued a statement that the continued reference to “fake news” by the President is threatening to undermine the freedom of the press.
  • Etc., etc.

Yes Mr. President, it’s been a hot summer. Your administration is in constant turmoil with contradictions and outright lies flying everywhere — signs of continuing disarray. Unfortunately, when the U.S. sneezes, most other countries tend to catch a cold. The state of the world economy and politics is at stake.  Maybe it’s time to get off the ongoing campaign trail and act more Presidential.  Every tweet and personal attack now causes further consternation and disdain among Americans and allies abroad.

The summer is coming to an end, and one can only hope that the fall will bring better things. The big question is whether the November elections will bring a gust of fresh air.  It’s time for Americans to respond and support democracy by voting.  Let’s hope that common sense prevails, and the President stops acting like a mini-Musollini.

Donald Trump Uncategorized US Politics

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Nov 10

U.S. Withdrawal From International Climate Change Initiatives Equals Stupidity and Arrogance

by bcurry

A climate report based on work conducted by scientists in 13 U.S. federal agencies, known as the Climate Science Special Report, finds it is “extremely likely” that more than half of the rise in temperatures over the past four decades has been caused by human activity.  Moreover, the same scientists have warned that President Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement could make it difficult, if not impossible, for the world to stay on track to reach an internationally agreed-upon goal for limiting dangerous global warming.  The U.S. is now the only country which is not part of the agreement.

Now, let’s review the facts as presented. The U.S. faces temperature increases of 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit over the next few decades even under significantly reduced future emissions. In addition, the record-setting temperatures of recent years will become relatively common in the near future.  An increase in extreme weather patterns has emerged in recent years, as evidenced by record-breaking hurricanes, droughts, flooding, tornados, snow storms and other weather disasters. Climate change represents the greatest risk to human kind, especially in the most vulnerable communities where people are suffering from poverty, water scarcity, food shortages, inadequate housing or other crises.

Climate change denial and downplaying the impact of greenhouse-gas emissions on the climate is nothing less than stupid and arrogant. The American repeal of domestic actions resulting in halting the decline in U.S. emissions will likely make it more difficult and costly to meet the Paris agreement temperature goal of holding warming well below 2°C, and limiting it to 1.5°C.  Indeed, we may have already reached the point of no return.  Without American involvement and support — representing 40% of the world’s wealth — there is a real danger of other countries pulling out of the agreement.  Climate policy experts note that U.S. emissions cuts were set to make up a major part — more than a fifth — of the reductions envisioned under the Paris accord between now and 2030.

What makes the situation even more crazy is that numerous U.S. states, individual cities and major American corporations have banded together in a move to stabilize U.S. emissions, no matter what the Trump administration does on the federal level. It can only be hoped that the Trump administration comes to its senses and gets off its high horse.  Otherwise, every indication is that the future climate will look even bleaker than it already does.  Everyone is affected, and no one will be spared the consequences.

Cimate Change Climate Change Donald Trump Uncategorized US

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Oct 6

Trump’s Plan to Decertify the Iran Nuclear Deal Leaves Republicans in the Lurch

by bcurry

President Trump has argued that under the Iran nuclear deal signed in 2015, Iran has not “lived up” to the spirit of the deal. This despite the fact that by all accounts — even that of the U.S. — Iran had lived up to its commitments under the agreement. In addition, European leaders have stated that they were not interested in expanding the scope of its implementation. Other countries that are party to the deal — Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and Iran —argued that the agreement was designed to address issues solely related to Iran’s nuclear program, and not other issues that Trump has raised in the past.

Now, Trump is expected to decertify the deal which would kick the matter over to the Republican controlled Congress, which in turn would then have 60 days to determine how to proceed and whether to re-impose sanctions. The only problem is that the majority of Republicans have little appetite to reopen the 2015 deal, backed by the Democrats in Congress. The Republicans want to avoid a crisis and don’t want to kill the agreement which would leave them with the blame both at home and abroad. Once again, the President and Republicans are at loggerheads, with the party split between the so-called hawks and doves.

The situation with Iran is a lot more different than it was ten years ago. After all, it is in Iraq, where fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) has most conspicuously brought the U.S into a tacit alliance with Iran, that a more hostile relationship between Tehran and Washington could prove most consequential. Iranian-backed militias are deeply embedded in the overall Iraqi effort to wrest back territory from the militants, one that is also being aided by the United States.  Today, Iran commands the loyalties of tens of thousands in allied militias and proxy armies that are fighting on the front lines in Syria, Iraq and Yemen with armored vehicles, tanks and heavy weapons.  Exactly what the Trump administration intends to do about a state of affairs that has already become deeply entrenched is unclear.  So pervasive is Iran’s presence across the region that it is hard to see how any U.S. administration could easily roll it back without destabilizing allies, endangering Americans, undermining the war against the ISIS and upsetting the new regional balance.

The Iran nuclear deal is only one part of the foreign policy equation in the Middle East. To date, the deal has succeeded in stabilizing relations with Iran as it pertains to the nuclear weapons issue. Trump will have to spell out a broader strategy for confronting Iran, including its ballistic missile program and alleged support for terror networks in the Middle East. Decertifying and reopening the deal will not help matters, and may even destabilize relations with Iran who has become a major ally in the fight against ISIS. Without a doubt, the President’s move will present Congress with another hot potato and, once again, undermine America’s credibility to uphold its commitments with its allies and partners.

Donald Trump Foreign Policy Iraq and ISIS Uncategorized US

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Sep 7

Hurricanes, Droughts and Forest Fires Attest to Issues Regarding Climate Change

by bcurry

First there was Hurricane Harvey, and now there is Hurricane Irma — the worst in recorded history. Forest fires now cover nine U.S. states and have ravished the Canadian province of British Columbia. Around the world, annual temperatures have consistently increased, leaving havoc, rising waters and scorched earth in their wake.  Yet, here we have a President of the world’s most powerful country arguing that climate change is not an issue!  Some people argue about economics, but the recovery from damages caused by Hurricane Harvey in the U.S. is already estimated to cost over 180 Billion dollars (U.S.). The damages from forest fires and to crops are estimated to be in the billions of dollars.

For the human race to sit back and not do anything to deal with climate change is ludicrous to say the least. Sticking one’s head in the proverbial sand and ignoring the socioeconomic impact and scientific evidence related to climate change doesn’t make any sense!  What we need is leadership, both national and international.  Simply coping with the consequences is no longer a viable alternative, no matter how much leaders brag about their response to these calamities.  The fact is that people parish and people loose everything.

The U.S. consumes forty percent of the earth’s resources. It has a responsibility to do so in an environmental friendly and responsible way.  Without American proactive and aggressive actions in dealing with climate change, international initiatives may be meaningless.  It’s time for President Trump and Congress to recognize this reality.  Policies need to be changed now.  It’s taken decades to arrive at this point, and it will probably take years to tackle the issues pertaining to climate change.  Our climate supersedes the economy.  Mankind cannot believe that matters surrounding the earth’s climate are secondary in nature.  The state of our planet is first and foremost the most important consideration that we should have.  Let’s hold our leaders accountable.

Cimate Change Climate Change Donald Trump Leadership Uncategorized US

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Aug 13

White Supremacists Movements Should Be Outlawed In North America

by bcurry

The recent march of white supremacists in city of Charlottesville, Virginia again highlights the dangers of extreme movements of such hate groups who attack people based on their colour, religion and ethnicity. Such movements have no place in today’s multicultural societies in the U.S. or Canada.  They attract groups like the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis and movement leaders like David Duke and Richard Spencer.  They align themselves with grotesque Nazi and KKK doctrines.  Unfortunately, while President Trump condemned the bloody protests, he did not specifically criticize the white nationalist rally and its neo-Nazi slogans, blaming “hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.”

The KKK and other white supremacists movements have also existed in Canada since the 1800s, only to emerge more recently under other names, including the Western Guard and the Canadian National Socialist Party. Unfortunately, such groups recruit disenchanted young whites and prey on the growing anti-immigrant sentiment in parts of the United States and Canada. In the U.S., white supremacists appear to have been galvanized by promises of Donald Trump to “take our country back”. Many of the white nationalist protesters often carry campaign signs for Mr. Trump.  Although Trump appears to condemn the violence associated with the movement, he seems to be reluctant to condemn such movements in stronger terms — perhaps out of a reluctance to upset those who have supported him publicly.

Experts note that while some white supremacists have engaged in random acts of violence, others have carried out targeted attacks on Muslims, Jews, people of colour, aboriginals and LGBTQ people. While security agencies acknowledge the presence of right-wing extremists, they don’t appear to be a high priority.  Governments perceive such groups as being fragmented and primarily posing a threat to public order and not to national security.  There is also a reluctance to interfere in their activities due to apparent concerns with violating their freedom of speech.  Instead, the authorities simply react to specific incidents which may violate criminal , hate and civil rights laws.

Maybe it’s time that we not only condemn “white supremacists” associated historically with violence against citizens in both our countries. To say that they are just “pro-white, and not anti-anybody” is a farce. The basic premise of the movement is to promote hatred, exclusion and white supremacy.  Their continuing affiliation with KKK and Nazi beliefs confirms their reliance on national extremism of the worst kind.  It is time now that the governments of both countries seriously consider outlawing their existence, while protecting legitimate and peaceful freedom of expression. White supremacist movements have no place in today’s society, especially given their self-evident continuing and unacceptable promotion of hatred.

 

Uncategorized

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Jan 19

Is Kevin O’Leary a Wanna-be-Trump?

by bcurry

On January 18th, Kevin O’Leary announced that he is running for the Conservative leadership in Canada, suggesting that as a businessman, he is better qualified than the current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to work with president-elect Donald Trump. What does he have in common with Trump?  Yes, he has had some success as a businessman, but most would argue that he is no “financial guru” and he is not in Trump’s league in terms of wealth and influence.  Being a reality TV star, as a judge on the popular CBC-TV show “Dragons’ Den”, he does have certain celebrity recognition in Canada similar to that of Trump. However, like Trump, O’Leary has no real political or public service experience.

Simply asserting that as PM he would be in a better position to deal with President Trump and his administration than his fellow Conservative leadership candidates is not enough for him to win. At least it shouldn’t be!  In addition, the political, economic and social conditions are not the same as in the U.S. Canada has universal health care and illegal immigration is not considered a major issue. Like the U.S., Canada has had to tackle the results of the great recession primarily through infrastructure development and increasing the public debt. Employment opportunities for the middle class continue to exist and the social safety net is helping people to cope with unemployment.  Is there really enough anger out there for a similar “populist” movement to emerge comparable to that in the U.S.? I doubt it.

Canadians tend to support a more centrist approach when it comes to political and economic platforms. A move to the hard right is very unlikely in the near future.  O’Leary is far more moderate than Trump and understands the need for a centrist Conservative approach.  Like Trump during the Republican primaries, O’Leary will be a target for the other 13 leadership candidates — a number of whom represent the existing political establishment in Ottawa. O’Leary’s entrance into the Conservative leadership race has caused a stir and a fair amount of interest, at least in the media.  Like Trump, his name will raise greater media attention, hopefully not to the same detrimental extent as down south.

There is little doubt that Trump’s success has encouraged a neophyte like O’Leary to throw his hat into the political arena. While well-known in Canada and a Party outsider, he is not a member of Ottawa’s political establishment and is a reasonably successful businessman. However, are his qualifications enough for the Conservative Party and the rank-and-file?  Only time will tell.  One thing is for certain.  He is happily no wanna-be-Trump.

Canada Donald Trump Leadership Uncategorized US US Politics

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Oct 9

Men Need To Step Up To Prevent Verbal and Physical Abuse Against Women

by bcurry

Donald Trump’s recorded verbal abuse against women is just the most recent example of misogynistic and uncalled for attacks on women. The truth is that the twenty-first century has started off just as badly as the twentieth century ended when it comes to abuses against women.  Women continue to be the victims of domestic violence far more then men.  Just as bad, women continue to be sexually objectified by the porn industry and increasingly through the Internet and social media.  Women are degraded by men for not meeting certain physical standards created by the male-dominated bastion of commerce.  A ‘rape culture’ exists on many of North America’s college campuses, with victims still finding it all too difficult to come forward.

Today, there are laws and institutions aimed at ensuring that workers are free from sexual and other forms of harassment in the workplace. There are more employers who provide for employment equity and who promote equal pay for work of equal value, particularly when it comes to female employees.  However, in some professions women still face employer bias and the ‘glass ceiling’, and sexism is “alive and well in the workplace”. It is a fact that female executives who take time off to have children and become mothers are often discriminated against when they return to work, particularly in terms of promotion.  A recent study of the top 1,000 U.S. companies found that the Chief Executive Officer position was held by only 5 percent of women, even though women now make up half of our labour force.

Society is doing a better job in dealing seriously with domestic violence and date rape, the vast majority of victims who are women. Nevertheless, authorities and institutions have to improve at dealing with attacks against women and in educating men as to their responsibilities towards the treatment of women.  Attitudes and behaviours are derived by the values instilled in our children from a very young age onwards.  Parents, schools, communities and societal institutions have to ensure that these are the appropriate values when it comes to the treatment of women.

I have a young granddaughter who is as smart as a whip and can hold her own with her older brothers. I refuse to believe that she doesn’t deserve every opportunity to grow up in a society respectful of women’s rights.  As a man, a father, a grandfather, I will do everything possible to ensure that my granddaughter will have a life free from verbal and physical abuse.  All that I ask is that other men step up to do the same for all women.  After all, we are about to have the first female President of the United States of America. It’s about time!

Canada Uncategorized US Politics Women's Issues

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